chmod 555 — r-xr-xr-x

What chmod 555 allows, when to use it, and the calculator pre-filled with it — toggle any box to compare.

555
r-xr-xr-x
Owner5
r-x
Group5
r-x
Others5
r-x
Special bits
chmod 555 filename
chmod -R 555 /path/to/dir

What this means

Owner can read, execute. Group can read, execute. Others can read, execute.

What chmod 555 allows

WhoReadWriteExecute
Owner✓—✓
Group✓—✓
Others✓—✓

Everyone can read and run, nobody can write. Seen on system directories like /proc entries and on read-only program folders.

Commands

chmod 555 fileset it on one file or directory
chmod u=rx,g=rx,o=rx filethe same thing in symbolic form
chmod -R 555 dir/recursively — careful: it applies to files and directories alike
ls -l filecheck the result: -r-xr-xr-x (a directory shows dr-xr-xr-x)

On a directory, read lets you list it, write lets you create and delete entries, and execute lets you enter it and open what's inside. That's why directories usually get 755 or 750 while files get 644 or 640.

Frequently asked

What does chmod 555 mean?

Owner: read, execute. Group: read, execute. Others: read, execute. In ls -l it shows as r-xr-xr-x.

What is the symbolic form of chmod 555?

chmod u=rx,g=rx,o=rx file — it sets exactly the same permissions as chmod 555.

← Chmod calculator

Common chmod permissions explained

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